Do I need an IEC to export services?

For most service exports paid in foreign currency an IEC is expected, and it is required to claim benefits under foreign trade policy schemes. Since the registration is one-time and inexpensive, service exporters generally obtain it as a matter of course.

An IEC does not expire — the code is permanent — but it must be updated every year even if nothing has changed. Miss the update and the code is deactivated — which you typically discover when a shipment or a remittance is blocked.

Can I have more than one IEC?

No. One IEC is issued against one PAN. If your business operates through multiple entities, each entity with its own PAN has its own code.

How long does IEC registration take?

It is one of the faster registrations, generally completed quickly once documentation is in order and the digital authentication goes through cleanly.

Import Export Code (IEC) Registration in Ahmedabad

An Import Export Code is a PAN-based identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, required by any business importing into or exporting out of India. Without it, customs will not clear your consignment and banks will not process the foreign remittance. Makhija & Company handles the application and the annual update that keeps it active.

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Import Export Code (IEC) — the short version

Issued by	Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
Format	A PAN-based code, one per PAN
Required for	Customs clearance of imports and exports, and foreign currency remittances through banks
Validity	Permanent, but must be updated annually to remain active
Not required for	Goods imported or exported for personal use, and certain notified exemptions
Common mistake	Letting the annual update lapse, which deactivates the code

Licences & registrations

What it is, in plain terms

IEC is the identifier that ties your business to its cross-border trade. Customs uses it to clear consignments and your bank uses it to process inward and outward foreign remittance. It is a one-time registration rather than a licence, and there is no renewal fee — but there is an annual update requirement, and codes get deactivated when it is missed.

The practical failure we see is a business discovering its IEC is inactive on the day a shipment is sitting at the port. That is entirely avoidable.

Who this is for

If one of these sounds like you, this is the right page.

Manufacturers and traders exporting to overseas buyers
Businesses importing raw material, machinery or finished goods
E-commerce sellers shipping internationally
Service exporters who need the code to claim certain benefits
Businesses whose existing IEC has been deactivated for a missed annual update
New entities that need the IEC set up alongside GST and Udyam

Documents you will need

This is the general set. After the first call you get one checklist built for your exact case, rather than a generic list you have to interpret.

7 documents, typically Build my exact list See the due dates

01 PAN of the business or individual
02 Aadhaar of the proprietor, partner or director
03 Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or LLP agreement
04 Proof of business address — utility bill, rent agreement or ownership document
05 Cancelled cheque or bank certificate for the business account
06 Digital signature or Aadhaar-based authentication
07 Passport-size photograph of the applicant

Not sure this is what you need?

That is what the free consultation is for. Tell us the situation and we will tell you the shortest route through it — including when the answer is that you do not need this service at all.

Ask us first

Or call +91 81412 53309 — Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM.

Exporters working out of Ahmedabad

Textile, chemical and engineering exporters around Ahmedabad make up most of the IEC work we do. The part that catches people is not the registration — it is the annual update, which is usually discovered on the day a consignment is held or a remittance is blocked.

229, 2nd Floor, Ghantakarna Mall, Sarangpur

How we do it

Four steps, no surprises

You always know which step you are on and what we need from you next.

01 / 04

STEP 01

Readiness check

We confirm your PAN, bank account and address documents are consistent, which is where most applications stall.

STEP 02

DGFT application

The application is filed on the DGFT portal with digital authentication.

STEP 03

Code issued

You receive the IEC certificate for use with customs and your bank.

STEP 04

Annual update

We remind you and handle the yearly update so the code does not go inactive.

Questions

Import Export Code (IEC) — frequently asked

QDo I need an IEC to export services?

For most service exports paid in foreign currency an IEC is expected, and it is required to claim benefits under foreign trade policy schemes. Since the registration is one-time and inexpensive, service exporters generally obtain it as a matter of course.
QDoes an IEC expire?

An IEC does not expire — the code is permanent — but it must be updated every year even if nothing has changed. Miss the update and the code is deactivated — which you typically discover when a shipment or a remittance is blocked.

QCan I have more than one IEC?

No. One IEC is issued against one PAN. If your business operates through multiple entities, each entity with its own PAN has its own code.
QHow long does IEC registration take?

It is one of the faster registrations, generally completed quickly once documentation is in order and the digital authentication goes through cleanly.

Often needed alongside this

Most clients need two or three of these together. Hover the deck to fan it out.Tap any card to see the details.

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Talk to us before you file

A short conversation usually saves more than it costs. We are in Sarangpur, Ahmedabad — Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM.

Book a free consultation Call +91 81412 53309